Improvement in cartridge capping and uncapping implements



e. L. BA IL'EY.

CARTRIDGE CAPPIN'G AND UNCAPPING IMPLEMENT. No.186,4:06.

Patented Jan.23,1877.

N-FETERS, uomumoamman, WASHINGTON. u. c.

GILBERT L. BAILEY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

IMPRQVEWIENT IN CARTRIDGE CAPPING AND UNCAPPING IMPLEMENTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 186,406, dated January 2 3, 1877 application filed December 5, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GILBERT L. BAILEY, of Portland, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Implement for Uncapping and Recapping Cartridge Shells for Breech-Loading Fire Arms, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which- Figures 1 and 2 are side elevations of my invention, with vertical sectional views of a cartridge-shell to show its operation.

The object of my invention is to furnish a convenient and comparatively inexpensive implement for uncapping and recapping cartridgeshells for breech-loading fire-arms.

In the drawings, B is a solid cylinder of wood or metal, made to fit loosely the inside of a shell, and having a central pin, 1), said pin being of a size and length to enter and pass clear through the small opening in the head of a shell. Post A is made of cast metal,

and has a blade, 2', projecting at right angles at its lower end, by which it is pivoted to the lower part of cylinder B, in a slit made for the purpose in said cylinder, as shown by broken lines. The face, or that part of post A that is next to the cylinder, may be about three-eighths of an inch thick, (or wide,) and has a shoulder, S, near its upper end. Lever L is pivoted to this end of post A, and has on its under side a downwardprojecting nib, d.

Its operation is as follows: To remove a cap, referring to Fig. 1, the implement being held in one hand, lever L is thrown back, and the top part of post A pushed away from cylinder B. A shell, I), is placed over the cylin der, with the end of pinp bearing against the under side of cap 0. The lever being brought over, nib 01 will rest on the head of the shell, between its flange and cap 0, when, by pressing upon the lever, pin 19 is forced up through the opening in the head of the shell, driving the cap out against the under side of lever L, as shown.

To replace the cap, referring to Fig. 2, the

shell I) is raised from cylinder B far enough to withdraw pin 17 from the opening in the head of the shell. PostA is then brought up to the shell, so that shoulder S will strike it immediately under its flange. A cap is placed over the cavity in the head of the shell, lever L brought over, and nib d will rest directly upon the cap 0. Post A and shell 12 are held firmly in contact with each other, when pressure on lever L forces the cap into its place, the shell, supported by its flange upon shoulder S, being prevented from moving, as shown.

The length of cylinder B'should be such that pin 19 may reach entirely through the head of the shell before the open end of said shell strikes blade i. Shoulder S should be in such a position on post A that when the flange of the shell rests upon it pinp will be withdrawn from the opening in the head of the shell, and should be made concave on its falcelslto correspond with the convexity of the s e My object in pivoting post A to cylinder B is that the former may be moved out from the latter, thus bringing nib 61 clear of the cap, allowing itto rest upon the head of the shell and shoulder S from the flange of the shell while uncapping the same.

I am aware that the same end can be accomplished by a rigid post, a movable shoulder,-and a slotted lever butI prefer the means above described.

Cylinder B may be reduced in diameter at its upper end when re-enforced shells are used.

' Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Cylinder B, with its pin 10, post A, with its shoulder S and lever L, combined and operating as and for the purpose herein set forth.

GILBERT L. BAILEY. Witnesses:

THOMAS K. J ONES, WARREN W. Com. 

